This Time for Keeps

This Time for Keeps

Year: 1947

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: English

Director: Richard Thorpe

RomanceMusic

A Show to Dream About! An ex-GI falls for a bathing beauty.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – This Time for Keeps (1947)

Trace every key event in This Time for Keeps (1947) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Dick returns from the war and questions his future

Dick Herald returns home and, now preferring to be called Dick Johnson, expresses reluctance to join his father's opera company or to marry Frances. He is eager to enjoy life after the war and feels pressure to settle down quickly. The family tension sets the stage for his entanglements and choices.

Post-war Herald family home
2

Dick's first meeting with Nora during recovery

During his recovery, Dick is told about Nora's beauty while his eyes still bandaged. Nora allows him to touch her face and they share a kiss, only for him to reveal that he can actually see. This misdirected moment sparks a complicated attraction between them.

During recovery from war injury Hospital
3

Nora offers Dick a role and Ferdi lands him a club gig

Backstage at the Aqua Capers show, Nora recalls their earlier moment and offers Dick a place with the act. He flirts with her, and Ferdi convinces his friend Xavier Cugat to hire him as a baritone at the nightclub. The arrangement launches Dick's entertainment career and deepens his connection with Nora.

Following Dick's post-recovery return Aqua Capers backstage / Xavier Cugat's club
4

First date and the test of family approval

Dick and Nora dine after a performance, and Nora makes it clear that she must first win her family's blessing. She explains that Dick must pass an inspection by her family on Mackinac Island. The requirement marks a crucial test of whether personal love can outrun family duty.

After their first meeting Dinner after Aqua Capers; Mackinac Island
5

Frances's engagement arranged on Mackinac Island

On Mackinac Island, Harriet meets with Richard Herald and concedes to announce the engagement between Dick and Frances, though Dick remains unaware. The arrangement foreshadows a looming conflict between duty and desire. The island's dynamics set the stage for the lovers' growing dilemma.

Soon after Nora's arrival Mackinac Island
6

Dick meets Nora's family; grandmother approves

Dick meets Nora's grandmother and her niece Deborah, winning their warmth by singing 'Grandmother's favorite song.' The elders grant approval, giving Nora renewed hope for a future with him. Yet Dick still plans to tell his father about Nora and end the engagement to Frances.

Soon after arrival Cambaretti house, Mackinac Island
7

Engagement shock and Nora's heartbreak

Gordon discovers the engagement announcement and Ferdi informs Nora, leaving her heartbroken at the prospect of Dick marrying Frances. Gordon arranges for Nora to stay somewhere Dick can't find her. The revelation fractures the path to their union.

Six weeks later Mackinac Island; Gordon's intervention
8

Herald searches for Nora; Ferdi withholds information

Six weeks later, Mr. Herald arrives at an Aqua Capers rehearsal seeking Nora, but Ferdi refuses to reveal her whereabouts. The kid-glove approach to parental pressure contrasts with the lovers' longing. The island social web keeps Nora and Dick apart for the moment.

Six weeks after engagement announcement Aqua Capers rehearsal; Mackinac Island
9

Summer arrives and Dick’s Grand Hotel gig begins

Summer comes to Mackinac Island, and Nora travels there with Gordon and Ferdi. Dick joins Xavier Cugat's band and heads to the Grand Hotel for performances as Deborah rushes to alert him of Nora's presence. The stage is set for a decisive confrontation and possible reconciliation.

Summer Mackinac Island; Grand Hotel
10

Confrontation at the Cambaretti house

Nora and Deborah arrive and Dick attempts to explain the tangled situation, but Nora remains upset and rejects him. Deborah's jealousy adds tension as the sisters vie for happiness. The emotional clash underscores how far apart the lovers have drifted.

During the visit Cambaretti house
11

Ferdi and Grandmother hatch a reconciliation plan

Ferdi guides a reconciliation effort by bringing Mr. Herald to the island and apologizing to Grandmother Cambaretti. They decide that Nora and Dick should marry, and they begin arranging the path to bring them together. The family alliance forms the critical bridge to a possible union.

After the confrontation Grandmother Cambaretti's home; Mackinac Island
12

Grand Hotel performance seals the reconciliation

At the Grand Hotel, Mr. Herald attends Dick's performance and subtly influences Xavier Cugat to fire his own son. Dick then steps forward, singing 'Easy to Love' after a moment of 'La donna è mobile,' and sits beside Nora as they hold hands. The moment marks the formal rejoining of the couple and the promise of marriage.

Night of the performance Hotel Grand, Mackinac Island

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:27

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This Time for Keeps Summary

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This Time for Keeps Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in This Time for Keeps

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Characters, Settings & Themes in This Time for Keeps

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